Basil egbert king



(No Model.)

B. R. KING.

BOOK SUPPORT.

No. 363,396. Patented May 24, 1887.

WTNESSE 0 l MENTOR sists of three main parts, a

NITED STATES PATEr tries.

BASIL ROBERT KING, OF WVASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,396, dated May 24:, 1887.

Application filed February 4, 1887. SerialNo. iiflflfillfi. (No model.)

To aZ Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BASIL Bonner KING, a citlzen of the United States, residing at IVashington, in the county of Washington and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Book-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an instrument for holding a book open when placed on a music or other book rack.

The objects of my invention are, first, to hold the book squarely open before the eyes of the player; second, to prevent the covering of any part of the printed page by the holder; third, to obtain an instrument that will apply to any sized book; fourth, to make such an instrument to fit the book when opened in any part whatever; and, fifth, to hold the book so that the light may shine on the page from the side. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents the instrument viewed from the upper side. Fig. 2 represents the instrument viewed from the back side. Fig. 3 is a side view of the brace F, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the catch-spring 0. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the holder when applied to an open book.

Like symbols of referenceindicate likeparts in each.

The holder is designed to be applied to the top of the book, as shown in Fig. 5, and conpivoted cross-piece which engages the back of the book, a second cross-piece which holds the printed pages of the book,and a bar connecting the cross-pieces, which are arranged thereon so as to be separable, for the purpose of adjusting the holder to books of different sizes.

In the drawings, B represents the frontcrosspiece. In the middle it is provided with a transverse groove, which is covered by a metal plate, E, thus forming a passage or hole, in which is fitted a bar, A. This bar therefore extends transversely to the cross-piece B, and is movable lengthwise through thehole therein. At the rear end of the sliding bar A is a second cross-piece, O, which is secured to the bar by a vertical pivot, I,whereon it can be turned, asshown in Fig. 1. The barAtherefore forms the frame which connects the cross-pieces B and G.

H H are fingers or props, which project vertically from the under side of the swinging cross-piece O, and F F are fingers which project from the under side of the longer crosspiece, B. The extremities of the fingers F F are reflexed toward the fingers II, and aretipped with projecting rubber plugs G, which are suitably set in recesses in the fingers.

Fig. 5 illustrates the application of the holder to an open book. The cross-piece O is placed so that the fingers H shall project downward outside the flexible part of the book-cover at the back of the book, and that the fingers F shall project downward in front of the printed pages. The parts B and G are then moved toward each other into contact with the back and front of the book, and in so doing the pivoted crosspiece 0 will automatically adjust itself at the proper angle to the bar A to conform to the position of the back of the book, so that the holder will operate as well when the book is open near the beginning or end as when it is open at the middle. This is an important feature of my invention. In order to hold the parts when thus set and to keep the book open at the desired place, I employ the locking device shown in Figs. 1

and 4. The upper side of the sliding bar A is provided with ratchet teeth or notches,-and

on the upper side of the cross-piece B is a ver tical open case, E,wherein is pivoted a pawl or dog, D, the lower end of which rests on the surface of the bar A. A coiled spring, 0, within the case E bears on the dog and tends to press its lower end against the bar. thus arranged, the dog D permits free movement of the parts to bring the cross-pieces B and 0 together; but the engagement of the dog with the ratchet-teeth prevents their separation, unless the upper end of the dog be pressed by the finger to disengage its lower end therefrom. This forms a convenient and automaticallyacting lock, though the other devices-such as bindingscrews, die-may be substituted.

The backward curve of the fingers F F causes them when bearing against the page of I00 the book to keep the outer parts of the page farther back than the middle of the book, so

When

and swinging bar being connected, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. [n abook-holder, the combination, with V of an open book, and having pro ecting rethe cross-piece B, arranged to bear on the front of an open book, of the cross-piece O, and the transversely-sliding bar A, to which said crosspiece 0 is secured, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a book-holder, the combination, with the cross-piece 13, arranged to bear on the front of an open book, of the rear cross-piece, O, the transversely sliding bar A, to which said cross-piece O is secured, and a lock for connecting the parts A and B, substantially as and for the purposes described.

p 4. In a book-holder, the combination, with the cross-piece B, arranged to bear on the front of an open book, of the rear cross-piece, G, the transversely sliding bar A, to which said cross-piece O is secured, said bar A having ratchet-teeth, and a spring-dog mounted on the cross-piece B and engaging the ratchetteeth, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a book-holder, the combination, with the oross-piece 13, having projecting fingers arranged to bear on the frontof an open book, of the rear cross-piece, 0, having projecting fingers, and the transversely-sliding bar A, to which said cross-piece O is secured, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. In a book-holder, the combination, with the cross-piece B, arranged to bear on the front flexed fingers, of the rear cross-piece, O, and the transversely-sliding bar A, to which said cross-piece Ois secured, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. In a book-holder, the combination, with a fastening which bears against the face of an open book, of a swinging bar bearing against the back of the book and having projecting fingers, said fastening and swinging bar being connected, substantially as and for the purposes described.

BASIL ROBERT KING.

, Witnesses: I

D. J. M ADAM, J. D. JACK. 

